Katie Byrne reviews the third season of Heartstopper and discusses the show's new mature themes.
The increasingly popular Heartstopper premiered with its third season in October. The coming of age television series follows the story of two British teenagers, Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), at an all-boys grammar school. Charlie, an openly gay and chronic overthinker, and Nick, a popular rugby player, discover that their unlikely friendship might be something more, as they embark on a journey of self-discovery while navigating the treacherous waters of young love.
In the preceding seasons, Nick and Charlie develop feelings for each other and begin dating, much to the surprise of their friends and classmates. Nick deals with the process of coming out as bisexual and Charlie is the victim of homophobia, targeted for his sexuality. This is not to say that they do not have a support system in their lives however, with many of their friends rallying around them, including familiar couple Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell). The new season sees the return of the main cast as they begin another academic school year, which sadly does not treat them as kindly as those prior.
The first episode brings a sense of comfort and familiarity to viewers as we are welcomed back to Nick and Charlie’s cute rapport. Not to mention the return of the much loved soundtrack accompanying the scenes. As in previous seasons, moments of high emotions and transitions between scenes are often accompanied by comic book-like stamps and symbols, honouring Alice Oseman’s original illustrations. Although this season further develops the sunny depiction of queer love and friendship from before, there is a definite tonal mismatch between seasons that presents itself very quickly.
The predominant yellow overtones throughout the season suggest happiness but this colourful and hopeful atmosphere is constantly overshadowed by a dark cloud that presents itself around Charlie very early on. This exploration of more challenging issues can also be seen with the laconic Isaac (Tobie Donovan), as he explains that he doesn’t feel like giving Charlie a “vocab lesson” on the topic of his asexuality. Tobie Donovan’s powerful performance is somewhat diminished however, as he is appointed the role of a comic relief character.
A common theme of disconnect is highlighted both physically and metaphorically. Noticeably, the bad phone signal prohibiting Nick and Charlie from staying in contact while Nick is abroad, sets the mood for the season. Their relationship struggle is contrasted with the honeymoon phase of Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney) and we learn that Tara and Darcy are now living together, offering more connection than ever before. Still, it becomes clear that each character is fighting different mental battles that greatly impact their ability to connect to their closest friends and even their romantic partners. It is here that we begin to see that when Heartstopper tackles delicate topics, it tackles them well.
At this point, Charlie’s losing battle with mental health is extremely prominent as he attends a rehab centre for his OCD and Anorexia. We begin to see the toll it takes on him and his boyfriend Nick as each of their mental battles are explored in episode four, a brilliantly effective episode that depicts their greatest worries and concerns for one another.
The exploration of therapy and recovery is handled with such love and care in this season with one of the best representations of a therapist that I have seen portrayed in the media. The attempt to undermine stereotypes associated with therapy and the emphasis placed on the development of coping mechanisms is triumphant. The show recognises relapses in engaging in self harm and general deterioration, displaying its success in representation.
The knowledge that an inclusion of open discussion around sex was to be included in this season, piqued the interest of potential viewers. Some may criticise the show as being sentimental or overly pure, but one must remember the age of the target audience and the prominence of realism in this show. For me, the experimentation of sex in this season and the handling of the topic is certainly one of the highlights.
As Charlie improves and fights his mental illness, viewers may be quick to jump to the conclusion that Nick is primarily functioning as a support system for Charlie. It appears as though his role as a character is reduced to only that. This is also seen in Nick’s sudden realisation that he doesn’t know who he is outside of the relationship. Through this change in dynamics, we witness the dark aura that previously occupied Charlie’s headspace replicated within Nick in a defining moment in the season.
This dark aura functions as a character in its own right, appearing in nearly every episode. We see Tara struggle with anxiety, Darcy trying out new pronouns and Tori (Jenny Walser) solely shouldering Charlie’s pain. We also get one of the most memorable lines from the season on the topic of transphobia when Elle declares that “trans people are not a debate.” This season contains significantly less depictions of homophobia than previous ones but just when everything is starting to appear a little bit too idealistic, we are firmly reminded of the discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the modern world
This being said, the third season of Hearstopper somewhat struggles to develop each character fully and it suffers under the weight of an expanding diegesis. Everyone’s storyline hits a low point at the same time and insufficient weight is distributed in terms of character development as a result. Imogen (Rhea Norwood) also struggles with her sexuality but her discovery of never having liked a boy is limited to one hurried, albeit moving, scene. This is not a criticism but simply a yearning for more content.
The season leaves us with many unanswered questions but there is an unsaid satisfaction of the idea of this season being a possible ending to the world of Heartstopper. Much like the comic book style leaves that float in and out of the frame, each character embarks on their own personal journey with the promise of re-entering the frame when support for their friends is required.
Overall, Heartstopper continues its legacy as a feel-good show that serves as a medium of representation for a younger generation and a form of redress for the teenage years of those who never felt seen. It is a heartbreaking and honest season, leaving an impression that will last longer than any book that Isaac can find.